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Marcos Jnr facing criticism for Singapore F1 trip as Philippines reels from recent typhoon
- The Kilusang Mayo Uno labour movement said trip was an insult to workers grappling with hyperinflation and low wages and victims of a powerful typhoon
- Critics are demanding more details from the government about the secret trip, including if public funds and resources were used
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A trip by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr to Singapore over the weekend to watch Formula One races has come under attack from critics who described it as “utterly callous” while thousands of Filipinos remain displaced due to a recent typhoon.
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Marcos Jnr confirmed his trip to Singapore for the Grand Prix event in a brief statement and pictures he posted on Facebook on Monday night after a flurry of online criticism.
“They say that playing golf is the best way to drum up business, but I say it’s Formula 1,” Marcos Jnr said. “What a productive weekend.”
He said without elaborating that he was invited with other dignitaries and met new business friends who were willing to invest in the Philippines, and added he would disclose more details later.
Over the weekend, reports circulated on social media about Marcos Jnr’s unannounced trip to Singapore. Marcos Jnr’s press secretary did not issue a confirmation until after a Singaporean official posted pictures of Marcos Jnr in the city state on Facebook.
Singaporean Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng named Marcos Jnr among the foreign dignitaries he had met “to affirm our bilateral economic relationships and strengthen collaborations in energy cooperation as well as exchange views on manpower policies on the sidelines of the race.”
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